Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 3929. We need to do more, not less, to help communities that are working to apply new technologies to their water supply problems. This bill provides limited financial assistance for engineering and environmental studies. It does not authorize funds for construction.

The project sponsors are exploring the feasibility of an ocean water desalinization plant using subsurface intake wells, which are protective of the marine environment. If this design is successful, it could encourage other coastal communities that are considering ocean desalinization as a way to stretch their limited water supplies without causing damage to marine life.

It is unfortunate that the Bush administration opposes this bill. Their opposition to H.R. 3929 is short-sighted and ill advised. This administration appears to be on a crusade against the use of innovative technologies to help solve water supply problems.

I hope the bill will be enacted despite their objections.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, we support passage of H.R. 3418. We commend Congressman Chet Edwards for his persistence and hard work to secure authorization for this important project. The city of Waco is keenly aware that additional sources of water will be required to meet future water demands.

The city has decided to meet the expected water supply shortfall in part by implementing aggressive water conservation and water recycling and reclamation programs. The water recycling project identified in this bill will be eligible for limited financial assistance under the Bureau of Reclamation's title XVI water recycling program.

Water recycling and desalinization projects are proven technologies that can help stretch limited water supplies in areas such as Texas and the West.

I want to express our full support for this legislation. I offer my congratulations to Congressman Edwards for his leadership.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the hardworking Member from Texas (Mr. Edwards), who works tirelessly for his district.

Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the urgent need for the House of Representatives to address global warming. As you can see from last week's cover of Time magazine, both popular and scientific consensus indicate that the United States must act now to mitigate this problem.

In fact, a poll released yesterday by Environmental Defense indicates that more than 70 percent of Americans polled believe that global warming is real and a problem that they are willing to do something about.

Mr. Speaker, it is time for a national policy on global warming. America must lead the global effort. As I speak, our colleagues in the other chamber are holding a day-long conference on this issue. They have also debated legislation and had several votes on bills designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions. It is time, in fact it is long overdue, for the United States House of Representatives to join the debate.

In my home State of New Mexico, we may already be seeing the dramatic effects of global warming. In the drought seasons of 2002 and 2003, we had major die-offs of our State tree, the pinon. Scientists predict that this major die-off is only the prelude to life in a warmer future. Also, as seen in this picture, dramatic melting has already been seen in icecaps, glaciers and sea ice on both poles and in high mountain regions across the globe. Scientists are in almost unanimous agreement that these events are directly related to the build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels.

Mr. Speaker, last week the Honorable Tom Petri and I introduced H.R. 5049, the Keep America Competitive Global Warming Policy Act. Our bill will help America curb our emissions and spur innovation to keep us in the global technological lead. The bill is an economy-wide, upstream, cap-and-trade policy that covers all greenhouse gas emissions.

However, to provide some certainty to the economy, the bill provides for an unlimited number of additional safety valve allowances. These allowances will be sold by the Treasury Department at a fixed and reasonable price, which will escalate over time. The escalation of the safety valve price is tied to the emissions-control activities of the five largest developing country greenhouse gas emitters. This will ensure that the rest of the world joins us in this effort. In that way, our policy will not put America at a global disadvantage.

We know that there may be less emissions reduction with a safety valve than without one. However, the cost certainty and the modest starting up cost of the safety valve allowances provide assurance this policy will not result in undue economic harm. We believe it is better to have a policy that works slowly yet surely rather than one that might prove economically unworkable.

Many companies, including the largest utility in my home State of New Mexico, have expressed the need for a safety valve in any mandatory greenhouse gas emissions control legislation.

While the safety valve and a cap-and-trade program are critical to the short-term success of curbing emissions, conservation, research and technology are some of the long-term solutions of global warming. Our bill creates an advanced research projects agency inside the Department of Energy. The goal of the E-ARPA is to explore the truly out-of-the- box, high-risk, high-payoff research that will be necessary if we are to get to a low or no carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas world.

Mr. Speaker, we know that despite our best efforts some will probably be negatively impacted by this policy. That is why our legislation allocates allowances to those people, entities and localities that may incur dislocations because of this legislation.

Finally, we also set aside allowances for auction that will be used to ensure that the legislation is revenue neutral.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is modest, certain and efficient. It commits America to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by having emitters internalize the costs associated with global warming. This monumental step of putting a price on all greenhouse gases will stabilize emissions and eventually reduce them and finally put the United States on the road towards curbing the effects of global warming.

I urge my colleagues in the House to cosponsor this comprehensive and economically rational legislation and help break the stalemate that exists on the global warming issue.

Mr. Speaker, I just returned from Iraq on a congressional delegation trip with Senator McCain. And I wanted to report to my constituents.

The first thing that I have concluded in looking at the situation there and in visiting there is that we need a special envoy sent by the President of the United States to move forward with a national unity government.

Things on the ground are not going well. Things are deadlocked. There has been no government since 3 months after the election. We have a lame duck government, and we have a crucial international situation going on.

The current government is riddled by corruption and inertia. So, Mr. President, we need to send a special envoy.

Secondly, I visited the troops in Iraq, some New Mexicans and many others from across the country. And when I think of what they have done since the invasion over 3 years ago, it makes me very proud. Saddam Hussein and his sons are out of commission. We have held three elections, and the Iraqis have adopted a constitution.

We have trained over 224,000 troops to the highest levels of training, more than 100,000 police and security personnel. We have spent billions of dollars in reconstruction.

The Iraqis have made progress, and I do not know what more we can ask of our troops. But overall this visit solidified my belief that it is time for the Iraqi people to step forward and take control of the situation in their country.

Our troops are caught in the middle of religious and ethnic disputes. Sectarian violence is rampant in many areas. Iraqis must step up to the plate and resolve these disputes themselves.

As President Kennedy said of South Vietnam in the summer of 1961, ``In the end, it is their country, and they are going to have to fight for it.''

Therefore, we need a change of course in our foreign policy. Staying the course is no longer acceptable. We need to take two actions: One is announce a phased redeployment of our troops outside of Iraq. This redeployment should be complete by the end of this year, by 2006. Number two, we need to put the Iraqis on notice that they must assume responsibility. Of course, as we phase this redeployment, we need to assist them and train them and do everything we can during that period to make sure they have the best chance of success.

But this is their fight at this point.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Keep America Competitive global Warming Policy Act of 2006. I am pleased to be joined in introducing this bill by my colleague from Wisconsin, the Honorable Tom Petri.

We introduce this legislation in the face of a rapidly strengthening scientific consensus that the Earth is warming faster over the last few decades than at any time ever in the geologic record. Ten of the last 15 years have been the hottest years since we began recording global temperatures. There are prolonged droughts across the United States, such as in my home state of New Mexico. Other parts of the country have seen record precipitation and floods. In Representative Petri's home state of Wisconsin, average winter temperatures are increasing, leading to thinner ice and earlier melts on as much as 80% of the state's lakes. Dramatic melting has been seen in icecaps, glaciers, and sea ice on both poles and high mountain regions around the world. And, as we all know, the North Atlantic saw a record number of deadly hurricanes in 2005. The increase in the frequency of severe storms has been directly linked to an increase in sea surface temperatures. It is also very worrisome that sea surface temperatures are already above normal this year.

Scientists are in almost unanimous agreement that most of the global warming and the resultant extreme weather events are directly related to the build-up in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide released from the burning of fossil fuels. To date, the United States has done nothing to address the most serious environmental issue any of us will ever encounter. We must begin, and we must begin now. However, any emissions reduction policy we enact must minimize economic harm and dislocation.

That is why we are introducing this legislation today. Our bill will help America curb our emissions but is designed to avoid an economically devastating price run-up that will cause harm and dislocation to American businesses and workers. The Keep America Competitive Global Warming Policy Act will spur innovation and keep America in the technological lead. In addition, by engaging the developing world in efforts to combat global warming, our bill makes certain that the United States will not be placed at a competitive disadvantage to other countries. Our bill also acknowledges that technology is the long-term solution to global warming. Thus, an integral part of our legislation will devote substantial resources exclusively to the research and development of low and no-carbon technologies.

The bill is an economy-wide, upstream, cap-and-trade policy that covers all greenhouse gas emissions. However, to ensure that the cost is both modest and certain, the bill provides for an unlimited number of additional ``safety valve'' allowances. These allowances will be sold by the Treasury Department at a fixed and reasonable price, which will escalate over time. Also, to bring about the participation of developing countries on addressing global warming, we tie the safety valve escalator to the emissions-control activities of the five largest developing country greenhouse gas emitters. This ensures that America will not be put at a competitive disadvantage if the developing countries do not join the effort.

We know that there may be less emissions reduction with a safety valve than without one. However, the cost certainty and the modest starting cost of the safety valve allowances provide assurance that there will not be economic harm from the adoption of this global warming policy. We believe it is better to have a policy that works slowly yet surely rather than one that might prove unworkable. Many companies have expressed the need for a safety valve in any mandatory greenhouse emissions control legislation, including the largest utility in my home state of New Mexico. Every day here in Congress, we debate the trade-offs between cost and effectiveness. We expect that the debate on how to best address carbon emissions and global warming will continue for some time. But the most important thing is that the House of Representatives actually begin that debate.

Taking into account the potential for some economic harm as the economy adjusts to this policy, our legislation allocates allowances to those people, entities, and localities that may incur dislocations because of this legislation. Additional allowances will be used to ensure that the legislation is revenue-neutral.

Our legislation also builds upon the 2005 recommendation of the National Academy of Sciences in its ``Rising Above the Gathering Storm'' report recommending the creation of an organization within the Department of Energy modeled on the Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency, also known as DARPA. The goal of this E-ARPA is to explore the truly out-of-the-box, high-risk, high-payoff research that will be necessary if we are to get to a low or no-carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas world.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is modest, certain, and efficient. It begins the process of committing America to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the global warming issue by having emitters internalize the costs of the problems associated with global warming. This monumental step of putting a price on carbon and other greenhouse gases will stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and eventually reduce them, finally putting the United States on the road toward curbing the effects of global warming.

I urge my colleagues in the House to cosponsor this comprehensive and economically rational legislation and help break the stalemate that exists on the global warming issue.

Mr. Speaker, there is solid, scientific consensus that global warming is real. Many believe that the erratic and record-breaking weather events we are seeing across the country, such as the prolonged droughts in my home State of New Mexico, are the result of global warming.

To combat this problem, I will introduce the Keep America Competitive Global Warming Policy Act of 2006 with my colleague from Wisconsin, the Honorable Tom Petri. We believe it is time for America to take steps to address global warming. We have structured a policy that will not put America's jobs at risk.

This bill is modest and certain as well as efficient. Our policy internalizes the cost of global warming through a cap and trade system on all greenhouse gas emissions with a fixed price safety valve.

This monumental step of putting a price on greenhouse gases will stabilize and eventually reduce emissions, finally putting the United States of America on the road towards curbing the effects of global warming. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleague, Mr. Issa, in consideration of S. 2064, which designates the Postal facility in Francesville, Indiana, after Malcolm Melville ``Mac'' Lawrence. Senate 2064, sponsored by Senators Lugar and Bayh, unanimously passed the Senate on March 3, 2006. An identical measure, H.R. 4346, sponsored by Representative Buyer, was unanimously passed by the Government Reform Committee on February 1, 2006.

A native of Indiana, Malcolm Lawrence was drafted into the U.S. Army after graduating from Purdue University. An Army medic serving in the 1st Medical Battalion, 18th Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division, Mac participated in the D-Day invasion of Normandy and attended to injured soldiers in numerous battles. In 1944, he was injured in a mortar attack. Before his discharge in 1945 and subsequent return home to Indiana, Mac had been awarded the Purple Heart, Bronze and Silver Star, and a host of other medals and badges.

Mac moved to Francesville and became a teacher at the local high school. He completed his teaching career as an administrator after 30 years of teaching.

A local hero, community leader and friend, Malcolm Lawrence was a beloved neighbor. Sadly, he passed away on July 8, 2004, leaving behind his family and a host of friends.

I commend my colleagues for seeking to recognize the many contributions of Malcolm Melville ``Mac'' Lawrence and urge swift passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

(Mr. UDALL of New Mexico asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the attendance of Mr. Renzi on the floor and his very gracious remarks.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 4841 is legislation I introduced to make a technical correction to the map reference contained in Public Law 109- 94, the Ojito Wilderness Act. This technical correction is necessary because of an error made by the Bureau of Land Management in the printing of the map to accompany Public Law 109-94. The original map failed to include 1,035 acres of land that all parties agreed would be acquired by the Pueblo of Zia as part of the original legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the cooperation of Chairman Pombo and ranking member Rahall of the Resources Committee in expediting the consideration of this legislation. H.R. 4841 is truly a noncontroversial measure, and I urge its adoption by the House today.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill to ratify a conveyance of a portion of the Jicarilla Apache Reservation to the county of Rio Arriba, New Mexico. This legislation will bring resolution to a long-standing dispute between the Jicarilla Apache Nation and Rio Arriba County.

The dispute, which has been ongoing for nearly two decades, is over the ownership of a road on a parcel of land formerly referred to as Theis Ranch. The Jicarilla Nation purchased Theis Ranch in 1985 and, in March 1988, the Nation subsequently conveyed a trust deed for Theis Ranch to the United States. The Theis Ranch property then, by proclamation of the Secretary of the Interior, became part of the Jicarilla Reservation in September 1988.

A lawsuit was filed in October of 1987 and the District Court was asked to determine the ownership status of the disputed road. In the original lawsuit, Rio Arriba County sought to establish that the county acquired the disputed road by prescription and, therefore, the county was the road's rightful owner. However, the Jicarilla Nation contended that the Nation owned the road because the road was, and continues to be, within the boundaries of the expanded 1988 Jicarilla Reservation. On December 10, 2001, the District Court found in favor of the Jicarilla and determined that the disputed road traversed the Jicarilla Reservation in several locations. Rio Arriba County appealed the December 2001 District Court decision and the appeal is currently pending before the Court of Appeals of the State of New Mexico. In a separate yet relevant matter, Rio Arriba County appealed a February 2003 decision by the Southwest Bureau of the United States Department of the Interior to acquire a tract of land referred to as the Boyd Ranch in trust for the Jicarilla Nation. Rio Arriba's appeal of this determination is currently pending before the Interior Board of Indian Appeals.

In an effort to settle the road dispute, the Jicarilla Nation and Rio Arriba County entered into mediation. The parties successfully reached a settlement that was subsequently executed by both the Jicarilla Nation, on May 3, 2003, and Rio Arriba County, on May 15, 2003. Representatives of the Secretary of the Interior approved the settlement on June 18, 2003. The settlement agreement, which would be implemented by this legislation, provided that the Jicarilla Nation would transfer, more or less, 70.5 acres of land located with the expanded 1988 Jicarilla reservation to Rio Arriba County. In exchange for the Jicarilla Nation's land conveyance, Rio Arriba County agreed to permanently abandon any and all claims to the disputed road. The settlement also provides that the terms of the agreement do not take effect until all parties complete their respective promises in the agreement and the United States, pursuant to federal law, approves of the conveyance of this particular Jicarilla trust land to Rio Arriba County.

Both parties and the Secretary of the Interior have fully preformed the terms agreed to within the settlement agreement. All that stands between the parties to this dispute and long overdo resolution is Congressional approval. Consequently, the legislation will adjust the Jicarilla Reservation border in order to account for the transfer. At the same time, this legislation upholds Congress' trust responsibility to the Jicarilla Nation by placing restrictive covenants on the trust land transferred to the County. In other words, this legislation recognizes that the transferred land is immediately adjacent to the remainder of the Jicarilla Nation. As a result of the transferred land's proximity to the reservation, certain uses of the transferred land would have a detrimental effect on the remaining reservation. Therefore, this legislation allows the County to use the land only for ``governmental purposes'' and specifically prohibits the County from using the land for prisons, jails, or other incarcerated persons, and other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to expedite passage of this very important legislation. Both the Nation and the County have waited years for this agreement to be implemented. Congress must now do their part to provide long overdo resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the United States Peace Corps and its more than 7,800 volunteers serving abroad as they celebrate the 45th anniversary of this respected organization. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps, impressing upon thousands of young people the need for public service and urging them to become not simply citizens of the U.S., but to become global citizens in pursuit of peace and friendship.

The Peace Corps has carried on that mission. By serving two years overseas, volunteers work cooperatively with local communities, providing expertise and assistance, and empowering people in developing countries. Their service continues President Kennedy's hopes for the Peace Corps to change the lives of countless individuals, families, and communities worldwide.

Today, I would also like to share the story of a volunteer from my district--a young woman from Santa Fe, New Mexico who was committed to the mission of the Peace Corps.

Tessa Marie Horan graduated from the College of Santa Fe in December 2003 and began a career focused on educating children. She was accepted to the Peace Corps in November 2005, and after nine weeks of training, was dispatched to work in Tonga to teach in the Community Education project. The education project is focused on building life skills for Tongan students, and Tessa, who was looking forward to getting to work, had already established a connection with the village youth.

Unfortunately, Tessa's life was cut tragically short this January when she was attacked by a shark in the waters off Tu'anuku. In what had become an afternoon ritual, she was playing outdoors with the village children when they decided to take a swim to cool off.

In the days before her death, Tessa's friends and family recall her saying that she was thoroughly enjoying her experience in Tonga and looking forward to the official start of the teaching program. Tessa was just 24-years old and often quoted Ghandi: ``Be the change you wish to see in the world.'' Those words are very fitting to describe the character of Tessa and the thousands of other Peace Corps volunteers.

Mr. Speaker, congratulations again to the Peace Corps on its 45th anniversary, and a personal, thank you to all former and current Peace Corps volunteers from New Mexico. Your selfless dedication and service serves as an example of the American spirit.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the City of Rio Rancho on its 25th anniversary of being incorporated.

Started nearly 50 years ago as an investment and retirement community, Rio Rancho has blossomed into the third-largest city in the State of New Mexico and one of the fastest growing communities in our country.

Rio Rancho has become a model for its commitment to economic development, acquiring technology-based jobs, providing affordable housing, and establishing a first-rate public school system. The city has made these significant advancements while maintaining a high quality of life for residents. For these qualities and much more, the ``City of Vision'' is to be commended.

It is my privilege and honor to serve as Rio Rancho's Member of Congress. I look forward to the ``City of Vision's'' continued success and prosperity.

Once again, best wishes and congratulations on turning 25 Rio Rancho.

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is an important date in America's history. On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, ending the Mexican-American war. I ask that my colleagues in Congress and all New Mexicans join me in commemorating this significant date.

In 2000, New Mexico's Senators Bingaman and Domenici requested a study by the General Accounting Office to investigate whether the United States fulfilled its obligations under the Treaty with regard to community land grants made by Spain and Mexico in what is now the State of New Mexico. I was proud to join in their effort because of the importance of this issue to many of my constituents.

In June of 2004 the General Accounting Office issued its final report in response to the requested investigation. The GAO also identified for consideration by Congress a range of possible options in response to community land grant concerns. Additionally, last month, a group of land grant community leaders submitted its own ambitious proposal to resolve this situation. I want to thank them for their efforts in drafting this plan, and I look forward to working with the New Mexico delegation and the land grant communities to consider all possible approaches.

Regardless of any individual's personal thoughts on celebrating the anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2nd is a significant event in the history of the New Mexico and the United States. The Treaty is a living document in much the same way that the U.S. Constitution is. Many believe, however, that our Federal Government has failed to honor the commitments it made in the Treaty of 1848 in respect to the property rights of community grants. Many Mexicans who became American citizens as a result of the Treaty lost all right and title to much of their lands.

During the 107th Congress, I introduced H.R. 1823, the Guadalupe Hidalgo Treaty Land Claims Act, which would have established a Presidential commission to determine and evaluate the validity of certain land claims arising out of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848 involving the descendants of persons who were Mexican citizens at the time of the Treaty. The GAO also recommended such a commission as one of their options for consideration by Congress.

For 158 years, descendants have been fighting to get the Federal Government to look into this matter. I am very proud to be part of the effort to bring justice to this issue. In order to move on, we need to close this sad chapter in our Nation's history. We have an obligation to do no less.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005.

The bill before us today is an unprecedented assault on both documented and undocumented immigrants. It creates policies that are burdensome and that threaten those legitimately seeking asylum.

It also creates new burdens on business. For example, the bill requires all employers to verify within two years that all of their new hires are in the U.S. legally. Those employers would have to verify the immigration status of all employees within six years. Not only is it extremely discriminatory to question the legal status of every new employee, this verification system also places an extremely unreasonable burden on the private sector--both large and small businesses. Instead of creating a new level of bureaucracy for our business owners to have to follow, we just should enforce the laws that we already have in place.

The bill also expands mandatory detention of immigrants, including women and children who come to the United States seeking asylum. Some of these people have been subject to crimes inconceivable to most Americans, and could be subject to even more egregious violations should they be denied asylum. We should not pass legislation that prevents refugees and others seeking persecution from finding safety in our country.

The bill also includes a provision requiring the construction of security fencing along portions of our southern border that have high rates of illegal border crossing, with one of these sections being in my home state of New Mexico. This provision alone creates a false sense of security. Building this fence will not stop the flow of undocumented immigrants into this country--it will only force them to take another route. Additionally, we are not in a position to know what the environmental impact would be on a project of this size. It could severely affect those millions of acres of land surrounding the border, as well as the wildlife living upon it.

This bill misses the mark completely, by its arbitrary and burdensome provisions. We all agree that we need to reform our immigration system. However, Congress missed an opportunity to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the removal of a provision from the Department of Defense Appropriation bill that would have allowed drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). This pristine wilderness area deserves to be protected, and furthermore, a Defense Appropriations bill was an entirely inappropriate vehicle to use to attempt to approve drilling in ANWR. For those and other reasons, I opposed passage of H.R. 2863 on December 19, 2005.

I am greatly pleased, however, that the Senate rejected the inclusion of the ANWR language, and removed the rider from this important appropriations bill. I still have grave concerns over several provisions still included in H.R. 2863, however, when it is passed into law our brave soldiers will get the resources they need to do the job overseas and return home safely as quickly as possible.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the recent reports, and admission by President Bush, that he authorized the National Security Agency to spy domestically, and did so without obtaining warrants. Some have noted that it is highly unusual for a President to publicly acknowledge the existence of highly classified intelligence programs. Some believe this is commendable. But Mr. Speaker, his admission was after the fact. After hundreds, possibly thousands, of Americans have had their telephone calls and e-mails monitored with little to no oversight. After he authorized the NSA, an organization tasked with investigating foreign people and entities, to spy on American citizens and other residents living in this country. And after, Mr. Speaker, he urged the New York Times not to report the existence of this program in the first place. Hardly commendable.

Yet these facts alone, though enough to warrant grave concern, are not the end of the story. Further compounding the issue is that the President did this without even seeking warrants, or legal oversight. I wish I could say I was surprised at this, but I cannot. This Administration has pushed the envelope for power and authority at every opportunity and this is clearly no exception. If truly and absolutely necessary, they could have at the very least obtained warrants from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. As the New York Times stated today in an editorial, ``The law governing the National Security Agency was written after the Vietnam War because the government had made lists of people it considered national security threats and spied on them. All the same empty points about effective intelligence gathering were offered then, just as they are now, and the Congress, the courts and the American people rejected them.'' In authorizing this program, this Administration has chosen to ignore precedent, wisdom, and possibly even the Constitution.

The Fourth Amendment clearly states ``The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.'' I strongly believe that spying on American citizens without first obtaining warrants, or any legal oversight, clearly violates this bedrock principle of our government and our Nation as a whole. I also believe that this program--its inception, its uses, its results, its justification for existence-- needs to be thoroughly investigated. I have begun circulating a letter asking the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence to conduct investigations of this. I hope my letter will not be ignored.

Mr. Speaker, no doubt the Administration and its supporters will attempt to paint those questioning the wisdom of this program's existence as weakening our defenses, and undermining our Nation's security and counterterrorism efforts. This is a weak and pathetic justification. There is no question the President must have the best possible intelligence to protect our Nation and its citizens. There is no question the President must conduct programs that are hidden from the public eye in order to gather this intelligence. The question is whether or not these ends can be achieved in accordance with our Constitution, our laws, and in a manner that reflects our values as a Nation.

I hope for the sake of the country, that after the Congress investigates this program, it is not shown that the President broke the law. However, we will only know the answer to that question after Congress exercises its proper oversight responsibility. Something it has failed to do for five years. Despite what this Administration would have us believe, securing our Nation from all enemies both foreign and domestic can be achieved without violations of our civil liberties.